Malema wants water in Madibeng, or else…

Julius Malema the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters leads a march in Brits on 24 January 2014 in solidarity with Mothutlung residents in their fight for water. Picture: Christine Vermooten

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), threatened the Madibeng municipality in North West yesterday.

The Madibeng municipality covers the village of Mothutlung near Brits in the North West Province. The district has been crippled by water shortages for more than seven months.

Malema made demands for water and sanitation for all Madibeng residents, as well as the ousting of all municipal councillors.

“End of January we will come back and enter the municipal offices and remove the corrupt municipal manager by force,” he said to the more than 500 EFF supporters who marched to the Madibeng municipal offices.

There have been clashes between protesters demanding water and the police over the past 10 days. Four protesters have been killed.

The EFF handed over a memorandum to the municipality demanding not only water and sanitation, but also that the RDP houses they’ve “been building since 2003 must be finished by end of February”.

Earlier in the week, Poppy Mangongwa resigned as mayor of the Madibeng municipality. The party also called for the resignation of the new mayor, Matshidiso Mangoathe, and the new chief whip, Simon Klass.

Julius Malema the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters leads a march in Brits on 24 January 2014 in solidarity with Mothutlung residents in their fight for water. Picture: Christine Vermooten

“They are all corrupt. We want a new council,” one resident shouted.

Malema repeatedly said the police should be ashamed of themselves for killing innocent civilians.

“Madibeng is the capital of murder. Police, you must be ashamed for killing your fellow black brothers… you are not killing white people. You are killing us,” he said.

He called for the ousting of the ruling party. “Use your votes to remove these bastards from office,” Malema said.

Floyd Shivambu, expelled ANCYL spokesperson, addressed the crowd and said they should not vote for the “African National Criminals”.

Many residents of Madibeng still have no clean drinking water.

Tebogo Mavuso, a resident in Maboloka in the Madibeng municipality, said they have not had water for more than 12 months. “We want water today and we want rubbish to be removed. I’m tired of struggling, ” she said.

Another Madibeng resident, Maria Maluleka, said their water was switched on in late December. “Before that we had no water for months.

“I want more than water. I want a job for my child with matric, I want cleaner streets – and no more corrupt officials,” she said.